Broncos quarterback Peyton Manning (18) looks into the end zone before throwing a fourth-quarter touchdown against the Chargers. / Robert Hanashiro, USA TODAY Sports

by Mike Garafolo, USA TODAY Sports

by Mike Garafolo, USA TODAY Sports

This is not a scene from the south end zone at Qualcomm Stadium, moments after he threw a perfect pass to Brandon Stokley for the game-winning touchdown. This is not a snapshot of Manning on the sideline after any of his three touchdown passes during an incredible 35-24 second-half comeback victory from a 24-0 halftime deficit to beat the San Diego Chargers on Monday night.

Heck, this isn't even Manning in the postgame locker room amid the thunder of his teammates' fists pounding on the steel lockers in triumph.

This is Manning, escaping pressure and leaping over a Chargers pass rusher.

With a grin on his face.

"He's giggling, he's laughing. Rolling out of the pocket, I see him smiling like, 'I just got out of another one!'" Broncos tight end Jacob Tamme told USA TODAY Sports after Manning's 37th career fourth-quarter comeback evened the Denver Broncos' record at 3-3 and pulled them even with San Diego atop the AFC West. "He was incredible. He was like (Ben) Roethlisberger back there. He can't be sacked right now."

For one night â?? nay, for one half â?? Manning couldn't be sacked, stopped or even slowed down. And he showed there's still some life in his arm and surgically repaired neck.

Thirteen straight completions to start the second half. Gorgeous passes on the hands of his receivers and inches from defenders' fingertips. Enough arm strength to complete 24 of 30 attempts for 309 yards and three touchdowns. Yes, the Broncos' defense was stellar with six turnovers and two defensive touchdowns. But this was vintage Manning. That, along with the meltdown of opposing quarterback Philip Rivers, was the story of the night.

Even postgame, Manning was unstoppable.

"You can't shut that guy up," said Stokley, standing in a towel and waiting for the end of Manning's press conference so he could do a radio interview.

For weeks and months now, a lot of doubters have been doing the talking. It's Manning's turn.

"It's well-documented how I feel about some of my heroes, whether it's Brett Favre or Dan Marino or John Elway," he said of equaling Marino's record of 47 game-winning drives in the fourth quarter or overtime. "It's very humbling to be mentioned among those guys."

The Broncos have been outscored 98-42 in the first half this season. They've now outscored opponents 128-40 in the second half, in part because of Manning's in-game adjustments.

Not many believed Manning could find that comeback touch he had with the Indianapolis Colts, in moments such as the 2006 AFC Championship Game when he led an 18-point comeback against the New England Patriots or when he overcame a 21-point deficit in the fourth quarter of a Monday Night Football victory over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 2003.

The Chargers didn't believe in Manning. The way their secondary crammed the short area in the first half, with their safeties playing on their toes instead of their heels, told Manning and the Broncos all they needed to know about San Diego's lack of faith in Manning's arm.

"Yeah, I think so, because Peyton hasn't really thrown it deep," said wide receiver Demaryius Thomas, who had a 29-yard touchdown reception to begin the comeback. "But he threw it deep and he hit us."

And what did that announce to the rest of the league?

"That you never know what you're going to get," Thomas said, "so you'd better keep your head on a swivel."

Because Manning's head certainly is.

One of the smartest, most aware passers ever to play the game, Manning was back to his old ways. He was seeing the field Monday like he had in his days with the Colts. The proof was on an out-and-up route to Tamme to convert a third-and-16 at the beginning of the fourth quarter after a holding penalty on running back Willis McGahee had negated a first down.

"We drew it up in the dirt during the timeout," Tamme said. "We had a beat on what the coverage was going to be. I went up to Peyton, he was coming up to me at the same time, and we were both saying the same thing."

Tamme was reluctant to make the big overall statement about Manning's on-field vision being as good as it's ever been.

"But, I mean, yeah," Tamme said with a laugh as he conceded, "he was really seeing it pretty good in the second half."

More proof: he called an audible as the play clock was running down on Stokley's touchdown, a 21-yard fade up the right sideline with only a few inches of space over cornerback Marcus Gilchrist's hands.

"Let's just say I'm happy to be on his side this time because I've seen that before," said Broncos safety Jim Leonhard, a heady player who was on the Jets when Manning and the Colts erased a 17-6 deficit with 24 unanswered points in the AFC Championship Game two seasons ago. "It's unbelievable watching him work, especially when he gets rolling."

Peyton Manning is laughing again. This time at the end of a perfectly delivered one-liner on Eric Decker's trip in the first half on what should've been an 85-yard touchdown but instead set up his only interception when he and Matt Willis weren't on the same page.

"That guy made a great tackle," Manning said. "I mean, the piece of grass made a tackle."

The room of reporters erupted, and then Manning got serious for a moment.

"Those things happen," he said, "and you kind of wonder, 'Is it meant to be?'"